Jared Huffman introduces bill to incentivize sharing information with tribes
Billed as a step towards addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis, U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman and Adam Schiff introduced legislation Tuesday that would incentivize notification of restraining orders between tribal and non-tribal law enforcement.
“The tragedy of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People is an epidemic, and jurisdictional red tape and communication breakdowns fuel this crisis. Tribes in my district have been putting in the hard work to protect their people and lead on this issue – by which I am tremendously proud of and inspired – but they can’t do it alone,” said Rep. Huffman in a statement in the release. “My bill with Rep. Schiff will help bridge the gap between tribes and local law enforcement so they can work together to keep tribal communities safe.”
The Tribal Community Protection Act of 2024 would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. It would expand grants to local and state agencies that notify tribal police about a restraining order, and those who accept and enforce tribal restraining orders and temporary restraining orders.
“The violence facing our Indigenous communities, particularly women and girls, is a crisis we cannot ignore,” said Schiff in a prepared statement. “With the complex nature of government-to-government relationships, sometimes this violence against women and Indigenous people can fall through the cracks, or lead to delays and inaction. Our bill aims to bridge this gap by promoting cooperation and information sharing between tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This will not only save lives but also help keep our tribal communities safe and ensure that those who break the law are held to account.”
The Humboldt County Sherriff’s Office could not be reached by phone or email before the Times-Standard print deadline on whether restraining order notifications are shared locally. Communication between law enforcement agencies is commonly noted as a barrier in addressing the MMIP crisis, and groups including the Yurok Tribe have called for state legislation to address gaps in enforcement. This includes AB 2138, introduced by Assemblymember James Ramos, which would grant tribal police officers peace officer status.
The Huffman release noted the act is supported by the National Congress of American Indians, National Council of Urban Indian Health, National Indian Health Board, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, and the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition.
“Tribal communities continue to face the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people every day. Commonsense reforms to support and prevent the disappearance of our people from their communities are vital to help end this crisis. Rep. Schiff’s and Rep. Huffman’s bill is one of those commonsense solutions which promotes information sharing between states and localities with Tribes. The National Indian Health Board is proud to support this bill which works to address the ongoing crisis of our missing and murdered Indigenous people,” said Chief William Smith, Chairman of the National Indian Health Board in a prepared statement.
A 2016 study by the National Institute of Justice found that more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women (84.3%) have experienced violence in their lifetime.
By: Sage Alexander
Source: Eureka Times Standard
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